U.S. patent application number 11/705543 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-04 for refrigerator.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Jin Ha Hwang, Young Shin Jang.
Application Number | 20070228909 11/705543 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38202854 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070228909 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hwang; Jin Ha ; et
al. |
October 4, 2007 |
Refrigerator
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a bottle receiving shelf to receive
bottle-shaped containers containing contents. The refrigerator
includes a body having a storage chamber defined therein, and a
bottle receiving shelf in the storage chamber to allow a
bottle-shaped container to be stored in a laid state. The bottle
receiving shelf includes a first partition shelf having a first
seat, and a second partition shelf having a second seat. The second
partition shelf is positioned at a front side of the first
partition shelf to move backward and forward, and overlaps the
first partition shelf when being moved backward. The first and
second seats are alternately arranged in a transverse direction to
allow the second partition shelf to overlap the first partition
shelf when the second partition shelf is moved backward, so that
the bottle-shaped containers can be received in an upright state in
the storage chamber.
Inventors: |
Hwang; Jin Ha; (Jeonnam,
KR) ; Jang; Young Shin; (Gwnagju, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700, 1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-si
KR
|
Family ID: |
38202854 |
Appl. No.: |
11/705543 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/408 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 25/024 20130101;
F25D 31/007 20130101; F25D 2331/803 20130101; F25D 2331/809
20130101; F25D 2325/021 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/408 |
International
Class: |
A47B 96/04 20060101
A47B096/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 28, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0028097 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator, comprising: a body having a storage chamber
defined therein; and a bottle receiving shelf positioned in the
storage chamber to allow a bottle-shaped container having contents
therein to be stored in a laid state, the bottle receiving shelf
comprising a first partition shelf and a second partition shelf
positioned at a front side of the first partition shelf to be
horizontally moved backward and forward substantially at a same
height as that of the first partition shelf, and to overlap the
first partition shelf when being moved backward.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first
partition shelf comprises a first seat on which the bottle-shaped
container is seated in the laid state, and the second partition
shelf comprises a second seat on which the bottle-shaped container
is seated in the laid state, the first and second seats being
alternately arranged in a transverse direction to allow the second
partition shelf to overlap the first partition shelf when the
second partition shelf is horizontally moved backward.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the first
partition shelf comprises a plurality of the first seats spaced a
predetermined distance from each other in the transverse direction,
and the second partition shelf comprises a plurality of the second
seats spaced a predetermined distance from each other in the
transverse direction, wherein as the second partition shelf is
horizontally moved backward, the plurality of second seats enter
spaces between the plurality of first seats, respectively.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the bottle
receiving shelf further comprises a pair of first guide rails
extending forward on opposite sides of the first partition shelf
and comprises first guide recesses to receive opposite sides of the
second partition shelf such that the second partition shelf can be
moved backward and forward in the first guide recesses.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the storage
chamber comprises a pair of second guide rails extending backward
and forward on opposite walls of the storage chamber and comprises
second guide recesses to receive the first guide rails such that
the first guide rails are moved backward and forward in the second
guide recesses.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the first guide
rail comprises a stopper to force the backward and forward movement
of the second partition shelf to be performed in the first guide
recess.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 4, further comprising: a
locking device to maintain a state of the second partition shelf
being disposed at the front side of the first guide rail.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the locking
device comprises: a locking member positioned at either side of the
second partition shelf to be moved in the transverse direction; and
a latch jaw protruding from the first guide rail to latch a rear
end of the locking member advanced in the transverse direction.
9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein a leading end of
the locking member facing in the transverse direction comprises a
guide protrusion integrally formed therewith to move backward and
forward in the first guide recess, the latch jaw protruding from an
inner surface of the first guide recess and latching a rear end of
the guide protrusion.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein a total sum of
widths of the latch jaw and the guide protrusion in the transverse
direction is narrower than a width of the first guide recess in the
transverse direction.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the locking
member comprises a knob protruding downwardly from a lower surface
to allow easy application of an external force to the locking
member.
12. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein the locking
device further comprises a resilient member to resiliently support
the locking member in the transverse direction, and the latch jaw
has opposite rounded end surfaces in a longitudinal direction.
13. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein each of the
first and second seats has an arcuate cross-section to allow the
bottle-shaped container having the contents therein to be stably
seated thereon.
14. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein each of the
first and second seats comprises a through-hole through which
chilled air flows up and down.
15. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising: an
ordinary receiving shelf positioned below the bottle receiving
shelf and comprises a planar shape, and wherein the second
partition shelf comprises a first support groove formed at an upper
side of a front end of the second partition shelf to slantly
support an inlet-side end of the bottle-shaped container having the
contents therein, and the ordinary receiving shelf comprises a
second support groove formed at a front side of an upper surface of
the ordinary receiving shelf to support a rear-side lower end of
the bottle-shaped container
16. A refrigerator, comprising: a body having a storage chamber
defined therein; a first partition shelf positioned in the storage
chamber and comprises a plurality of first seats arranged in a
transverse direction, on which bottle-shaped containers, each
having contents therein, are seated in a laid state; and a second
partition shelf positioned at a front side of the first partition
shelf to be moved from a front side of the first partition shelf to
a rear side of the first partition shelf, and having a plurality of
second seats arranged in the transverse direction, on which other
bottle-shaped containers, each having other contents therein, are
seated in the laid state, wherein the first partition shelf
comprises a pair of first support members extending in the
transverse direction and being respectively secured to front and
rear ends of the plurality of first seats to support the plurality
of first seats, the plurality of second seats being supported on an
upper surface of one of the first support members secured to the
front ends of the first seats.
17. The refrigerator according to claim 16, wherein the second
partition shelf comprises a pair of second support members
extending in the transverse direction and being secured to front
and rear ends of the plurality of second seats to support the
plurality of second seats, the plurality of first seats being
supported on an upper surface of one of the second support members
secured to the rear ends of the second seats.
18. The refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein the bottle
receiving shelf and the ordinary receiving shelf are alternately
arranged up and down in the storage chamber.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2006-0028097, filed on Mar. 28, 2006 in the
Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a refrigerator which
includes a bottle receiving shelf to receive bottle-shaped
containers containing contents.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a conventional refrigerator includes a storage
chamber maintained at a low temperature, to store food or other
contents in a fresh state for a long time period. The conventional
refrigerator includes a body which constitutes an outer appearance
of the refrigerator and includes the storage chamber defined
therein to store the contents therein, a door hingably coupled to
one side of the body to open the storage chamber at a front side of
the body, a refrigerating system received in the body to
refrigerate the storage chamber, and the like.
[0006] One type of conventional refrigerator is a wine refrigerator
as disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open No. 2005-110383.
[0007] The conventional wine refrigerator stores wine contained in
a bottle-shaped container (i.e. a wine bottle). A storage chamber
of the wine refrigerator includes a plurality of bottle receiving
shelves that divide the storage chamber into upper and lower spaces
to allow a plurality of wine bottles to be efficiently received in
or drawn out of the storage chamber.
[0008] In general, an inlet of the wine bottle stored in the wine
refrigerator is closed by a cork. Since the cork must be maintained
in a wet state to prevent oxidation of wine caused by induction of
air from an exterior, it is desirable that the bottle having the
wine therein be stored in a laid state.
[0009] In the conventional wine refrigerator, the bottles are
stored in the laid state on the bottle receiving shelves, which are
generally spaced from each other a distance slightly wider than the
diameter of the wine bottle so as to allow the plurality of wine
bottles to be efficiently laid and stored on the shelves.
[0010] Meanwhile, since it is very difficult to achieve complete
resealing of the inlet of the bottle having been opened once even
when closing the wine bottle by use of the cork to store remaining
wine in the bottle, there is a likelihood of leakage of the wine
through a fine gap between the inlet of the wine and the cork in
the event where the bottle is received in the laid state in the
storage chamber.
[0011] Thus, for the wine bottle having been once opened, it is
more desirable to be stored in an upright state. However, since the
conventional wine refrigerator is configured to have the bottle
receiving shelves spaced slightly wider than the diameters of the
wine bottles, there is a problem in that the wine bottle cannot be
stored in the upright state in the conventional wine
refrigerator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide a refrigerator which can receive containers, such as wine
bottles, having contents, in any state selected from a laid state
and an upright state.
[0013] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide the
refrigerator, which allows an easy withdrawal of the containers
containing the contents and being received deeply inside a storage
room.
[0014] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will
be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by
practice of the invention.
[0015] The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention
are achieved by providing a refrigerator including a body having a
storage chamber defined therein, and a bottle receiving shelf
positioned in the storage chamber to allow a bottle-shaped
container having contents therein to be stored in a laid state, the
bottle receiving shelf including a first partition shelf having a
first seat on which the bottle-shaped container is seated in the
laid state, and a second partition shelf having a second seat on
which the bottle-shaped container is seated in the laid state,
wherein the second partition shelf is positioned at a front side of
the first partition shelf to move backward and forward, and
overlaps the first partition shelf when being moved backward, and
the first and second seats are alternately arranged in a transverse
direction to allow the second partition shelf to overlap the first
partition shelf when the second partition shelf is moved
backward.
[0016] According to an aspect of the present invention, the first
partition shelf includes a plurality of the first seats spaced a
predetermined distance from each other in the transverse direction,
and the second partition shelf includes a plurality of the second
seats spaced a predetermined distance from each other in the
transverse direction, wherein as the second partition shelf is
moved backward, the plurality of second seats enter spaces between
the plurality of first seats, respectively.
[0017] According to an aspect of the present invention, the bottle
receiving shelf further includes a pair of first guide rails
extending forward on opposite sides of the first partition shelf
and having first guide recesses to receive opposite sides of the
second partition shelf such that the second partition shelf can be
moved backward and forward in the first guide recesses.
[0018] According to an aspect of the present invention, The storage
chamber includes a pair of second guide rails extending backward
and forward on opposite walls of the storage chamber, and including
second guide recesses to receive the first guide rails such that
the first guide rails are moved backward and forward in the second
guide recesses.
[0019] According to an aspect of the present invention, the first
guide rail includes a stopper to force the backward and forward
movement of the second partition shelf to be performed in the first
guide recess.
[0020] The refrigerator further includes a locking device to
maintain a state of the second partition shelf being disposed at
the front side of the first guide rail.
[0021] The locking device includes a locking member positioned at
either side of the second partition shelf to be moved in the
transverse direction, and a latch jaw protruding from the first
guide rail to latch a rear end of the locking member advanced in
the transverse direction.
[0022] According to an aspect of the present invention, a leading
end of the locking member facing in the transverse direction
includes a guide protrusion integrally formed therewith to move
backward and forward in the first guide recess, the latch jaw
protruding from an inner surface of the first guide recess and
latching a rear end of the guide protrusion.
[0023] According to an aspect of the present invention, a total
width of the latch jaw and the guide protrusion in the transverse
direction may be narrower than a width of the first guide recess in
the transverse direction.
[0024] The locking member includes a knob protruding downward from
a lower surface to allow easy application of an external force to
the locking member.
[0025] According to an aspect of the present invention, the locking
device further includes a resilient member to resiliently support
the locking member in the transverse direction, and the latch jaw
includes opposite rounded end surfaces in a longitudinal
direction.
[0026] Each of the first and second seats includes an arcuate
cross-section to allow the bottle-shaped container having the
contents therein to be stably seated thereon.
[0027] Each of the first and second seats includes a through-hole
through which chilled air flows up and down.
[0028] The refrigerator further includes an ordinary receiving
shelf positioned below the bottle receiving shelf and including a
planar shape, and the second partition shelf includes a first
support groove formed at an upper side of a front end of the second
partition shelf to slantly support an inlet-side end of the
bottle-shaped container having the contents therein, and the
ordinary receiving shelf includes a second support groove formed at
a front side of an upper surface of the ordinary receiving shelf to
support a rear-side lower end of the bottle-shaped container.
[0029] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a
refrigerator including a body having a storage chamber defined
therein, and a bottle receiving shelf positioned in the storage
chamber to allow a bottle-shaped container having contents therein
to be stored in a laid state, the bottle receiving shelf including
a first partition shelf, and a second partition shelf positioned at
a front side of the first partition shelf to be horizontally moved
backward and forward substantially on a same height as that of the
first partition shelf, and to overlap the first partition shelf
when being moved backward.
[0030] The first partition shelf includes a first seat on which the
bottle-shaped container is seated in the laid state, and the second
partition shelf includes a second seat on which the bottle-shaped
container is seated in the laid state, the first and second seats
being alternately arranged in a transverse direction to allow the
second partition shelf to overlap the first partition shelf when
the second partition shelf is horizontally moved backward.
[0031] The first partition shelf includes a plurality of the first
seats spaced a predetermined distance from each other in the
transverse direction, and the second partition shelf includes a
plurality of the second seats spaced a predetermined distance from
each other in the transverse direction, wherein as the second
partition shelf is horizontally moved backward, the plurality of
second seats enter spaces between the plurality of first seats,
respectively.
[0032] It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide
a refrigerator including a body having a storage chamber defined
therein, a first partition shelf positioned in the storage chamber
and including a plurality of first seats arranged in a transverse
direction, on which bottle-shaped containers, each including
contents therein, are seated in a laid state, and a second
partition shelf positioned at a front side of the first partition
shelf to be moved from a front side of the first partition shelf to
a rear side of the first partition shelf, and including a plurality
of second seats arranged in the transverse direction, on which
other bottle-shaped containers, each including other contents
therein, are seated in the laid state, wherein the first partition
shelf includes a pair of first support members extending in the
transverse direction and being respectively secured to front and
rear ends of the plurality of first seats to support the plurality
of first seats, the plurality of second seats being supported on an
upper surface of one of the first support members secured to the
front ends of the first seats.
[0033] The second partition shelf includes a pair of second support
members extending in the transverse direction and being secured to
front and rear ends of the plurality of second seats to support the
plurality of second seats, the plurality of first seats being
supported on an upper surface of one of the second support members
secured to the rear ends of the second seats.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a bottle receiving
shelf of the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0037] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the refrigerator
in which both front and rear spaces of a storage chamber are
partitioned into upper and lower spaces by the bottle receiving
shelf according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the refrigerator
in which only the rear space of the storage chamber is partitioned
into the upper and lower spaces by the bottle receiving shelf
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the refrigerator
in which the bottle receiving shelf is spread out in the front side
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the construction
of a locking device for the bottle receiving shelf of the
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0041] FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating
operation of the locking device for the bottle receiving shelf of
the refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0042] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the
like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to
explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
[0043] Herein, a wine refrigerator to store wine contained in
bottle-shaped containers will be described as an example of the
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the wine refrigerator according to an
embodiment of the present invention comprises a body 10 which
comprises a storage chamber 11 and is opened at a front side
thereof, and a door 20 hingably coupled with one side of the body
10 to open and close the storage chamber 11. A refrigerating system
(not shown) is equipped in the body 10 to refrigerate the storage
chamber 11.
[0045] The storage chamber 11 comprises a plurality of receiving
shelves 30 and 40, which divide a space of the storage chamber 11
into upper and lower spaces to allow a plurality of bottle-shaped
containers to be efficiently received in or drawn out of the
spaces. The receiving shelves 30 and 40 comprises at least one
bottle receiving shelf 30 to allow the bottle-shaped containers,
such as wine bottles, each having wine therein, to be seated
thereon in a laid state within the storage chamber 11, and at least
one ordinary receiving shelf 40 including a planar shape, to allow
various kinds of containers having various kinds of contents
therein, including the wine bottles to be seated thereon. According
to an embodiment of the present invention, such bottle receiving
shelves 30 and such ordinary receiving shelves 40 are alternately
arranged up and down in the storage chamber 11.
[0046] Here, a front space of the storage chamber 11 can be
selectively partitioned by use of the bottle receiving shelf 30 so
as to allow the bottle-shaped containers having the wine therein,
to be stored freely in various manners within the storage chamber
11, such as when a user desires to store the bottle-shaped
containers including the wine bottles in an upright state within
the storage chamber 11. According to an embodiment of the present
invention, when the heights of the containers are lower than a
separation between the receiving shelves 30 and 40, both the front
and rear spaces of the storage chamber 11 are optionally
partitioned by the bottle receiving shelf 30. While, if any one of
the containers includes a height higher than the separation
therebetween as in the case of storing the container having the
wine in the upright state within the storage chamber 11, only the
rear space of the storage chamber 11 is partitioned into the upper
and lower spaces by reducing the length of the bottle receiving
shelf 30 in a backward and forward direction (i.e., a longitudinal
direction), so that the front space of the storage chamber 11 can
receive the container having the height greater than the separation
between the receiving shelves 30 and 40.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, the bottle receiving shelf 30 comprises
a first partition shelf 31 which is positioned at the rear side of
the storage chamber 11 to be moved backward and forward, and a
second partition shelf 32 which is positioned at a front side of
the first partition shelf 31 to be moved backward and forward, and
to overlap the first partition shelf 31 when being moved backward,
in order to allow the front space of the storage chamber 11 to be
selectively partitioned into the upper and lower spaces, if
desired, as described above.
[0048] Thus, when the second partition shelf 32 is positioned at
the front side of the first partition shelf 31 as shown in FIG. 3,
the front space of the storage chamber 11 is partitioned into the
upper and lower spaces by the second partition shelf 32, and the
rear space of the storage chamber 11 is partitioned into the upper
and lower spaces by the first partition shelf 31 so that both of
the front and rear spaces of the storage chamber 11 are partitioned
into the upper and lower spaces by the bottle receiving shelf
30.
[0049] When the second partition shelf 32 is moved backward and
overlaps the first partition shelf 31 as shown in FIG. 4, only the
rear space of the storage chamber 11 is partitioned into the upper
and lower spaces by the first and second partition shelves 31 and
32.
[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, the first partition shelf 31 comprises a
plurality of first seats 31a, which are spaced a predetermined
distance from each other in the transverse direction and extend in
the longitudinal direction to allow the bottle-shaped containers to
be seated thereon, and the second partition shelf 32 comprises a
plurality of the second seats 32a, which are spaced a predetermined
distance from each other in the transverse direction and extend in
the longitudinal direction to allow the bottle-shaped containers to
be seated thereon.
[0051] Thus, when the second partition shelf 32 is positioned at
the front side of the first partition shelf 31, it is possible to
store two rows of bottle-shaped containers, each containing wine,
on the bottle receiving shelf 30 in such a way that one row of
bottle-shaped containers is seated on the first seats 31a of the
first partition shelf 31, and the other row of bottle-shaped
containers is seated on the second seats 32a of the second
partition shelf 32. On the other hand, when the length of the
bottle receiving shelf 30 is reduced through superposition of the
first and second partition shelves 31 and 32, only one side of the
first and second seats 31a and 32a allows the one row of
bottle-shaped containers to be seated and stored thereon, and the
front space of the storage chamber having been partitioned by the
second partition shelf 32 will be used to store containers, of
which the height is higher than the separation between the
receiving shelves 30 and 40 (as shown in FIG. 4, for example).
[0052] In this embodiment of the present invention, each of the
first and second seats 31a and 32a is downwardly concaved to have
an arcuate cross-section, in order to maintain a stable posture of
the bottle-shaped containers having wine contained therein when
being seated on the first and second seats 31a and 32a,
respectively. In addition, the first and second seats 31a and 32a
comprise through holes 31b and 32b through which chilled air flow
up and down, respectively, such that the chilled air can be easily
delivered to the bottle-shaped containers laid on the first and
second seats 31a and 32a.
[0053] To prevent the separation between the receiving shelves 30
and 40 from decreasing while the second partition shelf 32 is moved
backward, to overlap the first partition shelf 31, the second
partition shelf 32 is positioned substantially at the same height
as that of the first partition shelf 31, and allows horizontal
backward movement and superposition with the first partition shelf
31. Thus, the first seats 31a and the second seats 32a are
alternately arranged in the transverse direction.
[0054] According to an embodiment of the present invention, as the
second partition shelf 32 is moved backward, the second seats 32a
enter spaces separated from each other between the first seats 31a,
respectively, so that the second partition shelf 32 is horizontally
moved backward and then overlaps the first partition shelf 31.
Consequently, the overall length of the bottle receiving shelf 30
is reduced in the longitudinal direction without change in the
separation between the receiving shelves 30 and 40, so that the
upper and lower spaces of the storage chamber 11 at the front side
having been partitioned by the second partition shelf 32 are
integrated into a single front space, enabling the bottle-shaped
containers to be stored in an upright state in the front space of
the storage chamber 11 or allowing the bottle-shaped containers
higher than the separation between the receiving shelves 30 and 40
to be stored in the storage chamber 11.
[0055] The first partition shelf 31 comprises first support members
31c to support the plurality of first seats 31a, and the second
partition shelf 32 comprises second support members 32c to support
the plurality of second seats 32a such that the backward and
forward movement of the second partition shelf 32 can be stably
performed through the first and second support members 31c and
32c.
[0056] The first support members 31c extend in the transverse
direction, and are secured to lower surfaces of the first seats 31a
to support the first seats 31a. The second support members 32c also
extend in the transverse direction, and are secured to lower
surfaces of the second seats 32a to support the second seats 32a.
In this embodiment, a pair of first support members 31c are secured
to the lower surfaces of the first seats 31a at front and rear ends
of the first seats 31a, respectively, and a pair of second support
members 32c are secured to the lower surfaces of the second seats
32a at front and rear ends of the second seats 32a,
respectively.
[0057] Here, the first seats 31a are spaced from each other, and
the second seats 32a are also spaced from each other. Thus, an
upper surface of the first support member 31c secured to the front
ends of the first seats 31a is partially exposed to the space
between the first seats 31a, and an upper surface of the second
support member 32c secured to the rear ends of the second seats 32a
is partially exposed to the space between the second seats 32a.
[0058] Thus, the second seats 32a are supported on the exposed
upper surface of the first support member 31c such that the second
seats 32a can be moved in the longitudinal direction thereon, and
the first seats 31a are supported on the exposed upper surface of
the second support member 32c such that the first seats 31a can be
moved in the longitudinal direction thereon, whereby the first
partition shelf 31 and the second partition shelf 32 are supported
to move in the longitudinal direction via the first support member
31c positioned at the front side and the second support member 32c
positioned at the rear side, enabling a stable backward and forward
movement of the second partition shelf 32.
[0059] Furthermore, according to this embodiment as shown in FIG.
4, for example, in order to receive bottle-shaped containers
containing contents therein in an inclined state at the front side
of the storage chamber 11, the second partition shelf 32 is formed
at an upper side of the front end with a first support groove 32d
to support an inlet-side end of the bottle-shaped container, and
the ordinary receiving shelf 40 positioned below the bottle
receiving shelf 30 is formed at a front side of an upper surface
with a second support groove 41 to support a rear-side lower end of
the bottle-shaped container. With this configuration, the
inlet-side end of the bottle-shaped container is supported on the
first support groove 32d, and the rear-side lower end is supported
on the second support groove 41 so that the bottle-shaped container
containing the contents can be received in the inclined state in
the front space of the storage chamber 11.
[0060] In order to install such a bottle receiving shelf 30 in the
storage chamber 11, the first partition shelf 31 is provided at
opposite sides with a pair of first guide rails 12 extending
forward to receive opposite sides of the second partition shelf 32
therein such that the second partition shelf 32 can be moved
backward and forward on the first guide rails 12, and the storage
chamber 11 is provided at opposite sides with a pair of second
guide rails 13 extending in the longitudinal direction to receive
the pair of first guide rails 12 such that the first guide rails 12
can be moved backward and forward on the second guide rails 13,
respectively. Each of the first guide rails 12 comprises a first
guide recess 12a to receive a corresponding side of the second
partition shelf 32 such that the second partition shelf 32 can be
moved backward and forward therein, and each of the second guide
rails 13 comprises a second guide recess 13a to receive the first
guide rail 12 such that the first guide rail 12 can be moved
backward and forward therein. The second partition shelf 32
comprises guide protrusions 33a of locking members 33 (to be
discussed in detail below) at opposite sides thereof, which are
fitted into the first guide recesses 12a and moved backward and
forward therein, respectively. In addition, each of the first guide
rails 12 comprises a stopper 14 at a front end thereof, which is
caught by a front end of the guide protrusion 33a to force the
backward and forward movement of the second partition shelf 32 to
be performed only in the first guide rail 12. According to an
embodiment of the present invention, the stopper 14 is formed at a
rear surface with a securing portion 14a which is press-fitted into
the first guide recess 12a (see FIG. 6, for example).
[0061] When the second partition shelf 32 is forced and pulled
forward from the rear space of the storage chamber 11, of which the
front space has been defined to receive the bottle-shaped container
having the height higher than the separation between the receiving
shelves 30 and 40 in the storage chamber 11, the second partition
shelf 32 is first guided toward the front space of the storage
chamber 11 along the first guide rails 12, and then temporarily
stopped by the stoppers 14, so that the second partition shelf 32
is positioned at the front side of the first partition shelf 31. In
this state, both the first and second partition shelves 31 and 32
can store the bottle-shaped containers.
[0062] Therefore, when there are needs of positioning or
withdrawing the containers on or from the first partition shelf 31
having been positioned deeply inside the storage chamber 11, the
second partition shelf 32 is pulled forward by applying force to
the second partition shelf 32, and then, the force is transferred
to the first guide rails 12 through the stoppers 14, causing the
first guide rails 12 to be guided along the second guide recesses
13a of the second guide rail 13. Finally, the first guide rails 12
are extended in the front side so that the overall bottle receiving
shelf 30 positioned on the first guide rails 12 is moved to the
front space of the storage chamber 11, thereby allowing the
bottle-shaped containers having been positioned on the first
partition shelf 31 deeply inside the storage chamber 11 to be
easily withdrawn therefrom or allowing the bottle-shaped containers
to be stored on the first partition shelf 31 deeply inside the
storage chamber 11.
[0063] The wine refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present invention further comprises a locking device to maintain a
state of the second partition shelf 32 being positioned at the
front end of the first guide rails 12, as shown in FIG. 6.
[0064] The locking device comprises a pair of locking members 33
positioned at the opposite sides of the second partition shelf 32
to be moved in the transverse direction, and a latch jaw 12b
protruding from each first guide rail 12 to latch a rear end of the
locking member 33 and prevent the second partition shelf 32 from
being moved backward when the locking member 33 is protruded from
the second partition shelf 32 in the transverse direction. Each of
the locking members 33 comprises a knob 33b, which is integrally
formed with a lower surface of the locking member 33 and protrudes
downward therefrom, to allow easy application of external force
from a user to the locking member. In this embodiment of the
present invention, a leading end of the locking member 33 facing in
the transverse direction has the aforementioned guide protrusion
33a integrally formed therewith, and the latch jaw 12b is protruded
from an inner surface of the first guide recess 12a to latch the
rear end of the guide protrusion 33a.
[0065] In this embodiment of the present invention, for example, to
allow the locking member 33 to move in the transverse direction,
the first guide recess 12a comprises a width W1 greater than a
width W2 of the guide protrusion 33a formed at the leading end of
the locking member 33, and a total width (W2+W3) of the guide
protrusion 33a and the latch jaw 12b in the transverse direction is
smaller than the width (W1) of the first guide recess 12a in the
transverse direction.
[0066] Thus, when the locking member 33 is protruded at either side
by a resilient member 33c, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide protrusion
33a is latched by the latch jaw 12b, and thus cannot be moved
backward along the first guide recess 12a so that the second
partition shelf 32 is maintained at the front side of the first
guide rail 12. Then, when the locking member 33 is retreated into
the second partition shelf 32 by application of the external force
from the user thereto through the knob 33b, the guide protrusion 33
can be moved backward along the first guide recess 12a so that it
is possible to move the second partition shelf 32 backward along
the first guide recess 12a, as shown in FIG. 8.
[0067] In this embodiment of the present invention, the locking
member 33 comprises a rear end resiliently supported by the
resilient member 33c in the transverse direction, and the latch jaw
12b comprises rounded opposite surfaces in the longitudinal
direction. Therefore, not only when the force is applied to the
knob 33b as described above, but also when a predetermined level of
external force or more is applied to the second partition shelf 32
in the longitudinal direction, the locking member 33 can be moved
backward along the rounded opposite surfaces of the latch jaw
12b.
[0068] Although the bottle receiving shelf 30 of the present
invention has been described as being applied to the wine
refrigerator in the embodiment, the present invention is not
limited hereto, and can be applied to any of refrigerators when
receiving bottle-shaped containers containing various contents in a
laid state.
[0069] As apparent from the above description, the refrigerator
according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises first
seats of a first partition shelf and second seats of a second
partition shelf alternately arranged in the transverse direction
such that the second partition shelf can be moved backward to
overlap the first partition shelf, whereby bottle-shaped containers
having various contents therein can be stored in an upright state
in a front space of the storage chamber by moving the second
partition shelf toward the rear space of the storage chamber.
[0070] Furthermore, the refrigerator according to an embodiment of
the present invention comprises a pair of guide rails positioned at
opposite sides of the bottle receiving shelf and operable with a
pair of second guide rails positioned at opposite sides of the
storage chamber such that the bottle receiving shelf can be moved
forward by moving the pair of first guide rails along the pair of
second guide rails, enabling the bottle-shaped container having
been received deeply inside the storage chamber to be easily
withdrawn therefrom.
[0071] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled
in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without
departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the
scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *